Doll part actuating mechanism with cam causing stopping in a particular position



y 15, 1969 R. GARDEL ETAL 3,455,052

DOLL PART ACTUATING MECHANISM WITH CAM CAUSING STOPPING IN A PARTICULAR PQSITION Filed Aug. 16, 1965 BYW MEN OR z t M 3,455 052 DOLL PART ACTUATING MECHANISM WITH CAM CAUSING STOPPING IN A PARTICU- LAR POSITION Robert Gardel, New York, and Egon Gorsky, Brooklyn,

N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Lettam, Inc.,

New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 375,803,

June 17, 1964. This application Aug. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 479,764

Int. Cl. A63h 13/02, 3/40 US. Cl. 46-135 1 Claim This application is a continuation-in-part of our prior application Ser. No. 375,803, filed June 17, 1964, now Patent No. 3,230,666.

This invention relates to a doll animating mechanism and particularly to a mechanism for imparting motion to a part of a doll to simulate movement thereof such as opening and closing of the eyes.

In our aforementioned prior application, a motor driven mechanism was provided for rocking a dolls head and for operating the eyes. Gravity actuated means were also provided to operate the eyes as determined by the position of the doll. However, the two devices for operating the eyes were not always capable of operating completely independently of each other. For example, if the motor stopped when the eyes were held closed by the motor driven mechanism, the gravity actuated means was not effective to open them. Also the motor driven mechanism would not close the eyes when the doll was upright and the eyes were held open by the gravity actuated means.

This invention is an improvement over our aforementioned prior application in that it provides for opening and closing of the eyes by gravity actuated means independently of a motor driven driving mechanism such that when the latter has stopped operating, the user may still open and close the eyes by positioning the doll to control the gravity actuated weights, and further, when the motor is operating, the eyes are opened or closed by the motor driven mechanism irrespective of the position of the doll and of the position of the eyes as determined by the gravity actuated means.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a doll having a mechanism for actuating eyes or the like arranged such that gravity actuated eyes may be opened and closed independently of a driving mechanism which is used also to actuate the eyes or to actuate some other animating function.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for actuating the eyes of a doll independently of the position of the doll.

Another object is to provide certain improvements in the form, construction, arrangement and material of the several elements whereby the above named and other objects may effectively be attained.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents an elevational view of a doll, parts of which are cut away to show the mechanism and parts of which are shown in section;

FIG. 2 represents a detail section taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents a detail vertical section, on a larger nited States Patent ice scale, through one of the eyes with the doll in an erect position and the eye open.

FIG. 4 represents a detail taken on the line lVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 represents a detail section taken on the line VV of FIG. 1.

The drawings illustrate a soft body doll having an outer covering filled with stufling. The head is secured in the neck opening of the body but the flexibility of the body will permit a rotary rocking motion of the head while prohibiting complete rotation of the head. Although the invention is shown as embodied in this type of doll, it is also readily adaptable for use with a stiff or rigid molded plastic body in which case it becomes necessary to provide means for restricting the rotation of the head such as, for example, the rotary restriction means described in our aforementioned copending application Ser. N0. 375,803.

Referring to the drawings, the doll has an outer covering 10 filled with stuffing (not shown). Terminal edges 12 of the covering 10 may be folded back to form a neck opening. A-n insert 14 is provided in the body to form a cavity 16 for receiving a motor 18. The insert 14 may also have terminal edges 20 folded back to form an opening coincident with the neck opening of the outer covering 10.

The doll head is provided with a neck extension 22 received in the neck opening of the body and having an annular channel 24 in which the marginal edges 12, 20 of the neck opening on the outer covering 10 and insert 14 are received. Suitable means such as wire may be employed to secure these marginal edges in the channel 24. A neck insert 26 is accommodated and suitably secured within the neck extension 22. The neck insert 26 may have an annular indentation in which the annular channel 24 of the neck extension 22 is received. The assembly is such that the head is mounted for limited rotation and for upward and downward movement simulating the function of the neck joint of a human.

The motor 18 operated by a spring and designed to be wound up by means of the knob 28 projecting from the back of the body is mounted in the body within the cavity 16. A drive shaft '30 projects upwardly from the motor 18 and passes through an opening in the neck insert 26. Shortly below the point where the shaft 30 passes into the bottom of the neck insert 26, the shaft 30 is bent slightly so that its upper portion 30' constitutes an angularly offset shaft extension on which the neck insert 26 of the head is rotatably mounted. As described in more detail in our aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 375,803, the aforesaid parts make possible the rotary rocking motion of the head in that the axis of the extension 30' follows a conical path while the lower portion of the shaft merely rotates about its longitudinal axis without displacement. The head as a whole is restrained from rotation due to the neck connection previously described.

Secured to an upright extension 32 on the neck insert 26 is an upright post 34 from which a lever 36 is pivotally mounted. The lever 36 has bends in it to form the configuration shown in FIG. 1. An intermediate section 36' is mounted against the upright post 34 for rocking motion to form the pivotal mounting. The latter is comprised of a U-shaped clip 38, a pin 40 extending through openings in the upright post 34, lever 36 and clip 38 and a spring 42 about the pin 40, hearing against the lever 36 at a point slightly above the line of contact between the post 34 and the contacting portion 36' of said lever and urging the contacting portion 36' of the lever 36 against the upright post 34. Thus the spring 42 urges the lower end of the lever 36 rearwardly against a cam 44 mounted on the shaft 30 so that, as the cam is rotated by the motor 18, the lever 36 will follow the contour of the cam for pivotal movement about the line of contact with post 34.

Turning now to the mechanism for operating the eyes, FIG. 3 shows a hemispherical eye element 46 supported at opposite sides on projections 48 for rotation in the partially spherical socket 50 around a horizontal axis. A weight 52 is connected to the lower rear part of the eye element, as by the extension 47, so that the eye is normal- 1y held in the open position shown in FIG. 3. When the doll is moved to a reclining position, the wei ht 52 normally causes the eye to close as the latter rotates about the projections 48.

Back of each eye element there is provided an extension 49 and tubular bearing 55 in which is slidably carried a small rod or plunger 57 having its front end pivotally connected at 59 to the eye element 416 at a position offset relative to the axis of rotation of the eye element. Thus in and out movement of the plunger 57 will open and close the eye. The extensions 49 mount a support plate 51 which has an integral channel bracket 53 for receiving and supporting the upper part of the upright post 34.

The ends of the plungers 57 are secured to a cross member 54. For ease of manufacture and assembly, the cross members 54 may be formed of two plates urged towards one another by means of the springs 56 acting against the heads 61 of rivets 58 which are secured to the rear plate as shown. The ends of the rods 57 are provided with a flared portion 60 designed to be accommodated between the two plates as the latter are urged together by the springs 56 thereby providing a suitable connection between the ends of the rods 57 and the cross member 54.

It will be observed that movement of the cross member 54 to the left and right, as viewed in the drawings, will pivot the eye elements 46 to open and close the eyes. Accordingly, means are provided between the cross member 54 and the motor actuated lever 36 such that the latter will operate the cross member 54 to open and close the eyes. However, in order that the eyes may also be operated by the weights 52 independently of the motor driven mechanism when the motor 18 is inoperative, the aforesaid means provides for a lost motion action between the lever 36 and the cross member 54.

To this end the upper portion of the lever 36 carries actuating members which may be a generally U-shaped clip 62 so disposed that the cross member 54 resides between the two legs or actuating members 62a, 62b thereof. These two members 62a, 62b are adapted to contact the cross member 54 to move the latter in or out to operate the eyes. The cross member 54, however, is free to move between the legs of the clip so that when the lever 36 is in an intermediate pivotal position, the cross member 54 is not in contact with either leg of the clip and the eyes can be actuated by the weights 52 free of any restriction by the motor driven mechanism.

In order that the lever 36 may be made to reside in this intermediate or neutral position, the cam 44 has an intermediate section indicated generally at 64 disposed between a raised actuating section indicated generally at 66 and a low actuating section indicated generally at 68. When the doll is erect as shown in FIG. 1, the high section 66 pivots the lever 36 clockwise to cause the leg 62a to move the cross member 54 to the right to close the eyes (previously held open by the weights 52). The closed position of the eyes is shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. As the low section 68 passes the lever 36, the spring 42 causes the lever 36 to follow the contour of the cam 44 and pivot counter clockwise without actuating the eyes because the leg 62b is spaced from the cross member 54 as shown in FIG. 1. When the doll is reclining, the converse occurs in that the low section 68 of the cam opens the eyes (previously held closed by the weights) and the high section 66 has no effect on the eyes. Thus, each revolution of the cam 44 will close and open the eyes if the doll is erect or open and close them if the doll is reclining.

The intermediate section 64 of the cam places the lever 36 in an intermediate pivotal position, so that the eyes may be freely actuated by the weights 52. Accordingly, the intermediate section 64 is made to act as a stop, as will be described, and to this end may be made generally flat as shown in FIG. 4 for face-to-face contact with a flat end section of lever 36. With the cam mounted for rotation in the direction indicated in FIG. 3, the high actuating section 66 follows the flat section 64. Thus the steepest rise in the cam surface is between the flat section 64 and the high section 66, and the spring 42 will offer a greater resistance to rotation of the cam as the latter is rotated past the position shown in FIG. 4. Also, it requires more power to rotate the cam 44 when the flat intermedlate section 64 is contacted by the flat lever 36 as shown in FIG. 4 than when the lever 36 tangentially contacts the arcuate high and low sections 66 and 63. Accordingly, when the spring motor 18 is almost run down and has just about expended its power, the cam 44 will tend to stop with its intermediate flat section 64 against the flat lever 36. The motor 18 will therefore usually stop the cam 44 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 which establishes an intermediate pivotal position of the lever 36 such that the eyes may be freely actuated by the weights 52. The user of the doll may, therefore, use the motor 18 to rock the head and actuate the eyes, or by having the motor expend itself, the doll may be enjoyed by placing it In various positions so that the weights 52 will freely open or close the eyes.

It will be apparent that variations in the mechanical parts may be made, as by substituting levers, cams and parts of one class for those of another. For example, a detent may be provided on the cam in lieu of the flat intermediate section 64. Also the principles of the invention may be employed for simulating body movements other than the eyes, for example, the lips. As previously mentioned the invention may be used on a rigid doll body, it may be used for a single animating function (e.g., by replacing the bent shaft 30 with a straight one and eliminating the rocking motion of the head) or it may be used in combination with a plurality of animating functions merely by providing a cam either directly driven or indirectly through other mechanisms which provide the additional animating functions.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and hence we do not intend to be limited to the details shown or described herein except as the same are included in the claim or may be required by disclosures of the prior art.

What we claim is:

1. A doll actuating mechanism comprising, a movable element movably mounted for simulating a bodily movement of a part of a doll, a motor driven cam, a lever pivotally mounted in contact with and movable by said cam, a lost motion connection means between said lever and said element whereby the movable element is actuated at terminal portions of the pivotal path of said lever, and gravity actuated means operatively connected to and free to actuate said movable element when said lever is disposed in a generally intermediate portion of its pivotal path between said terminal portions, said cam having an actuating surface and an intermediate surface, the latter surface being determinative of said generally intermediate portion of the pivotal path of said lever and being generally fiat, said lever having a Hat section and the mecha- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,831,602 11/1931 Maby 46168 1,978,337 10/1934 Bowers 46135 8/1953 Stewart 46169 X 3/1966 Henry 461 19 X 5/1966 Katz 46119 X 5 F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

1. A DOLL ACTUATING MECHANISM COMPRISING, A MOVABLE ELEMENT MOVABLY MOUNTED FOR SIMULATING A BODILY MOVEMENT OF A PART OF A DOLL, A MOTOR DRIVEN CAM, A LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN CONTACT WITH AND MOVABLE BY SAID CAM, A LOST MOTION CONNECTION MEANS BETWEEN SAID LEVER AND SAID ELEMENT WHEREBY THE MOVABLE ELEMENT IS ACTUATED AT TERMINAL PORTIONS OF THE PIVOTAL PATH OF SAID LEVER, AND GRAVITY ACTUATED MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AND FREE TO ACTUATE SAID MOVABLE ELEMENT WHEN SAID LEVER IS DISPOSED IN A GENERALLY INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF ITS PIVOTAL PATH BETWEEN SAID TERMINAL PORTIONS, SAID CAM HAVING AN ACTUATING SURFACE AND AN INTERMEDIATE SURFACE, THE LATTER SURFACE BEING DETERMINATIVE OF SAID GENERALLY INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE PIVOTAL PATH OF SAID LEVER AND BEING GENERALLY FLAT, SAID LEVER HAVING A FLAT SECTION AND THE MECHANISM INCLUDING MEANS TO URGE SAID FLAT SECTION AGAINST AND ACTUATING SURFACE IN FACE TO FACE CONTACT SUCH THAT A GREATER FORCE IS REQUIRED TO ROTATE SAID CAM MEANS THEREBEYOND RELATIVE TO OTHER CONTACT POSITIONS. 